Chapter 382. Reason? Or Excuse?

As soon as Ann reached her office the following morning, the summons was waiting for her on her desk, sealed with the Council’s mark.

Ann turned the wax between her fingers, her thumb pressing into the familiar crest. It wasn’t the first time they’d sent a summons to her before sunrise and she was well aware that it was a tactic used to drag her from sleep and force her into a situation where she hadn’t had time to build an argument or a defence against whatever the issue might be.

“It never works though does it?” Maeve snorted, “There’s nothing that we’ve done that we need to defend against.”

She dressed without ceremony, pulling her hair into a braid tight enough to bite at her scalp. The crown stayed on its stand. If they wanted to rattle her, they could face her without the metal reminder of her throne. Adam offered to come, his jaw set in a way that told her he’d rather drag the Elders into the courtyard and solve things with his fists.

“I need you at th